Why Cursor Is Quietly Becoming Every Engineer’s Power Tool
What most devs miss about Cursor — and how it quietly saves hours of context switching every week.
I didn’t plan on falling in love with an IDE.
But I was deep into a complex backend service, reviewing a dense pull request and juggling a dozen tabs: GitHub, API specs, logs, internal docs, and Slack. I wasn’t doing bad work — but I wasn’t moving fast either.
So I gave Cursor a proper try. Not just as a code generator, but as a collaborative layer for understanding systems, reviewing changes, and staying in flow.
That decision quietly transformed how I work.
Cursor isn’t just an editor. It’s an experience.
At first, I used it the usual way — writing snippets, explaining functions, asking about syntax. But I soon realized it could do more. Much more.
For instance, I started loading spec documents directly into Cursor while working on feature logic. I’d reference those docs live in the same window, asking Cursor to explain how the code I’m writing maps to the requirements — no more bouncing between markdown, Jira, and my IDE. It keeps me anchored in the problem space.
Code Reviews That Feel Collaborative
Cursor, paired with GitHub MCP, changed how I approach code reviews.
Before opening a PR fully, I now ask Cursor to give me a summary of what’s changing. Then I walk through each file, asking it to explain changes in plain language. It helps me relate the different changes to each other — like understanding why a config file and a service class both changed for a feature flag rollout.
It’s not flashy, but it’s incredibly practical. I’m no longer decoding a pull request from scratch. I’m reviewing with help — almost like pairing with a junior engineer who’s walked through the diff and is ready to discuss.
This has saved me significant time and helped me focus on real feedback, not just figuring out what happened.
Unit Testing with a Measured Boost
When it comes to writing unit tests, I’ve found Cursor to be helpful — especially for well-contained functions or service methods.
I typically ask it to generate test cases for a Java method using JUnit, suggest edge conditions, or mock external dependencies like database calls or REST clients. It speeds up the process, especially when I'm moving quickly.
That said, for integration tests — where there’s shared state, cross-service interaction, or multi-threaded logic — I’ve learned to be extra cautious. Cursor doesn’t always have enough architectural context to make the right call. But within the scope of isolated logic, it can offer a solid starting point.
MCP: The Real Game Changer
The deeper power of Cursor comes from its integration layer — Model Context Protocol (MCP).
With MCP, Cursor doesn’t just answer questions — it operates across systems. It connects directly with tools like GitHub, Atlassian, and Splunk, giving you the ability to write code, review PRs, draft documentation, debug, and stay informed — without leaving your IDE.
A year ago, integrating tools meant gluing APIs together manually. Now, I open Cursor and I’m working across platforms without ever leaving the environment. No browser tabs. No copy-paste. Just one flow.
MCP is quietly redefining developer experience — and most engineers haven’t realized it yet.
Source: docs.cursor.com
Give Cursor the Right Playbook
To really make Cursor effective, I feed it a few project-specific rules — especially useful in Java-based backend systems.
For example:
“This project uses layered architecture: controller → service → repository.”
“DTOs live under
dto/, and are mapped using MapStruct.”“Use
Optional<T>for nullable return values, and avoid null where possible.”“Methods that end with
Asyncare expected to returnCompletableFuture.”
These small instructions help Cursor understand the structure and intent of my codebase — and give it the context to make smarter suggestions.
Source: docs.cursor.com
Agentic AI in Action
Cursor’s chat isn’t just conversational — it’s a window into research, search, and design thinking.
When I’m in the middle of reviewing or building something, I often ask things like:
“What are common anti-patterns with the service-repository pattern in Spring Boot?”
“How do other teams design validation layers in hexagonal architecture?”
“Is there a downside to overusing
@Transactionalannotations across service boundaries?”
I don’t need to jump into Chrome or dig through internal Confluence pages or external stackoverflow. Cursor helps surface the right guidance, right when I need it.
This is the kind of augmentation that keeps me focused and sharp — not because it replaces thinking, but because it supports it.
Source: Danny Postma
Real Talk
Cursor isn’t perfect. It still needs direction, context, and clarity — especially in large, distributed systems where nuance matters.
But when you guide it well, it becomes a force multiplier. Not because it’s magical — but because it saves energy, eliminates friction, and helps you stay in flow.
Not every engineer will need it. But the ones who use it well will almost certainly move faster, debug better, and spend more time thinking about architecture — not syntax.
quietly, I don't think so